


Destined Companions

by create_anyways



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, WandaVision (TV)
Genre: AU - Alternative Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, But also, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Hurt Wanda Maximoff, Meet-Cute, Slow Burn, Sweet Vision (Marvel), Wanda Maximoff Needs a Dog, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug, alternative universe, wanda is working through some grief and loss but she'll be okay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-22 19:28:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30043587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/create_anyways/pseuds/create_anyways
Summary: Wanda regretted taking her therapist's advice the moment she stepped into the animal shelter. But with some help from Vision, a handsome, earnest volunteer with the brightest eyes she's ever seen, she might be able to find a companion to help her as she mourns the death of her twin brother and works through other traumas in her life.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 22
Kudos: 74





	1. Maybe This Was Going to Work Out

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the "Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug" tag and my experience going to an animal shelter for the first time. 
> 
> Warning - contains depictions of processing trauma and panic attacks.

The last time Wanda felt this overwhelmed, she didn't eat for 24 hours and cried on an off for days. Anticipation brewed in the pit of her stomach throughout the day, but it did not match the anxiety that built in her chest with each step down the white tile floor, the distant sound of desperate howls growing louder with each step. When she opened the heavy metal door, the surge of sounds and smells accosted her senses. Stale kibble. Feces and other excrements hastily mopped up, followed but the loud clang of a volunteer shutting the kennel door. Nearly one hundred dogs barking, whining, crying, jumping against the metal gates of the kennel. Sad and scared. Wanda could feel it. It pulsed through her veins with every heartbeat, overpowering the excitement she was sure the other potential dog owners were feeling. Why couldn’t she feel that way as well? Everything in her screamed at her to leave. 

She internally cursed her therapist for bringing up this idea.

While most people her age referred to their therapist by their first names, Doctor Strange enforced the formality. And his personality was so stiff that it felt weird calling him “Stephen”. She didn’t think she could do it with a straight face. Even the way he conducted his sessions screamed formal. During their first meeting he refused to come out from behind his desk, diligently taking notes in small, sloppy handwriting as she answered the intake questions. What are your goals for therapy? What would you like help with? Anything I need to know about you that will help me help you? It had been difficult to open up lately, especially when people showed every indication of not truly caring about what she was saying. Lack of eye contact. Vague grunts in response. An emptiness of emotion. But it was different with him. Something about the logical way he sorted through her thoughts, as if they were a math problem made it seem like they were...manageable. 

Sessions with him were also free since he was part of her doctoral program. Two different tracks, of course, so they didn't interact outside of his office. On a fellowship stipend, she couldn't afford to see anyone else.

Adopting a dog was a suggestion - not a requirement because, as he loved to emphasize, he could never make her do anything. Her nightmares didn’t disturb her sleep as much anymore and the overwhelming grief was, well, less overwhelming. She had some good days. But there were still days when the exhaustion from processing trauma and residual emotions from the past made the day-to-day difficult. A fine day could spiral at the drop of a hat, especially if she neglected her self-care routine. 

And she was lonely. How could she not be after Pietro...

“I just want you to consider it,” said Doctor Strange with a click of his pen as he closed his notebook, the usual indication that their session was ending. “Studies show dogs can be beneficial for patients experiencing grief and loss. And, you can always enroll it in classes to become a certified therapy dog, which would help with your PTSD, should your nightmares come back.” 

“I’ll think about it,” Wanda said, her arms and legs crossed tightly as she considered the idea. Doctor Strange knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t. 

“I’m serious.” His eyes held a rare warmth. “You’ve made a lot of progress in six months, but I can tell you’re lonely.” Wanda tensed, opening her mouth to respond, but Doctor Strange beat her to it, slipping back into his stern logical guidance. “Yes, I know you have Steve and Natasha and Monica and Darcy” he rattled off the names from memory “but you still live alone, yes?”

Wanda nodded, her arms remained crossed.

“And you’ve been living alone since Pietro passed?”

Wanda straightened in her seat, an improvement from the wave of sadness she usually felt whenever someone brought up his name. 

“It still feels weird to have other people in my apartment.” 

“A dog is not a person, and could be a good companion for you. You to connect, Wanda. And a pet could help you...stay present.” 

Wanda didn’t respond but her mind was racing, trying to imagine her life with a pet, how she would juggle it’s care and her work, whether she even wanted to have something to take care of right now. It was getting easier to take care of herself, but she could have a bad week. What would happen if she couldn’t bring herself to take care of it?

But as the week went on, those worried thoughts turned into pricing care items, which turned into browsing the adoptable dogs on the local animal shelter’s website, which turned into researching food and training tips.

And the next thing she knew, she was standing in the doorway of a kennel, wishing she never left her bed that morning. 

Wanda took a deep breath, forcing her feet forward and looking at the names she wrote down on a scrap of newspaper. The website didn’t offer much information - just names, weights and breeds. She just had three dogs to look at. That was manageable. She swept down to the third aisle of kennels to see Bella, a larger hound mix that reminded her of a stray dog Pietro was fond of in Sokovia. Maybe it would help if the dog reminded her of her brother. And her face seemed sweet in the picture. A long wet tongue and a goofy smile greeted her through the gray metal gate. Wanda smiled, feeling her heart rate drop as she bent down to greet the dog. 

“Hello, there.” 

Bella had a black and brown speckled coat and floppy ears that perked up as Wanda regarded her. She hopped up onto her hind legs, her front paws gently leaning against the gate and she whined. Wanda smiled a little and stood up to see if she could find someone to let her out. 

That’s when she noticed the piece of paper taped under the kennel number, “ADOPTED” written out in thick sharpie. Wanda sighed, swallowing a surge of disappointment. Bella was her top pick. She let herself get excited too soon, but she forced herself to continue. 

Stuie - the gray dog with kind eyes - was just down the aisle, so Wanda decided to stop by that kennel next. Her shoulders tensed as dogs barked and whined at her from both sides, begging for her attention, jumping up to see her. It was hard to see them locked inside. Did they feel trapped? Were they really more happy here than they were outside? She just wanted to open all the doors and let them all out, let them be free. 

While lost in her thoughts, Wanda glanced around, eyes distant as she tried to find C22 where the website said Stuie would be. She was gazing absentently into a kennel on the right when a dog lunged at her from the left, clashing harshly against the metal and barking aggressively at her. She jumped, giving out a yelp as she retreated to the other side of the aisle. The dogs behind here were smaller and barked at her feet, but she could not pull her gaze away from the large gray mutt that looked like it would tackle her when it inevitably broke the kennel gate. Her gaze shifted to the number. 

C22.

She let out a long, low breath, forcing herself to calm down as she looked back up at the dog. He didn’t look violent. Wanda recognized the kind eyes from the picture on the website. He just had a lot of energy.

She considered him as he continued to bark at her, pawing at the gate excitedly. It was a bit too much for her, and she needed a dog that could help her calm down. Stuie didn’t seem like the potential therapy dog type. 

The third dog on her list was a small boxer named Rolly in A13, but as she turned down the aisle to take a look, she saw a volunteer letting him out of his kennel, leashing him up and handing him to a small girl who couldn’t be more than 7. She was beaming, walking him proudly out of the kennel with her parents behind her. 

It was a sweet sight, but Wanda felt herself deflate. She only chose three to look at today, and now, as she stood in the middle of the kennel, the barking and whining growing and she noticed larger dogs hopping up to get a good view of her. It was loud, and as she looked around at the energetic dogs, she began to think maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe she really wasn’t ready for this. 

Dejected and doubting, Wanda made her way toward the exit, her eyes tearing up a bit as she crafted the story she was going to tell Doctor Strange this week when he asked her about her new pet (because he was going to ask). Her feet walked for her, motions on autopilot and so trapped in her mind she didn’t realize someone was calling out to her until turned to reach for the door and noticed someone waving at her out of the corner of her eye.

With a breath, she blinked the tears away before turning to see a pair of striking blue eyes, a little hesitant but concerned. It was a man, tall and blonde with kind features and wearing one of the shirts that she noticed many of the volunteers wearing around the kennel. It fit him well, hugging his frame nicely, showing off a nice bicep. They just stared at each other for a few minutes before Wanda realized he was waiting expectantly, which made her think he asked her a question. 

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” she asked, trying not to stare at him as she kept her voice flat and emotions in check. 

“I was just inquiring about your visit.” Of course he had a British accent. “Have you found a dog to your liking?”

Wanda let out a slow breath, trying to ignore the chaos happening behind him. Did the dogs ever calm down? How could he look so at ease in this environment?

“There were a few I found on the website, but I don’t think any of them are going to work out…”

She was going to leave, but the man got a thoughtful look on his face, crossing his arm as his brow furrowed. 

“Is there anything you’re looking for personality wise?” he asked, his voice calm and patient. “You can’t exactly parse that out on a website. But I’d say I know these dogs decently well. I’m sure I can find a match. But if not, I can ask another volunteer who is here more than I am.”

Wanda was taken aback. Her brain so focussed on her discomfort that it didn’t occur to her to ask for help. She thought for a moment, considering his question. 

“Well, I suppose...a calm dog would be best. I live in an apartment, so it wouldn’t have a lot of space to just run around, and this is all supposed to...help...calm me…”

She looked over at the man, her chest tight. She felt she was being way too personal with a complete stranger, but he didn’t seem phased at all, nodding thoughtfully. His attentiveness encouraged her to continue. 

“Um, I’m fairly active, but that’s not a dealbreaker. But I’ve also never had a dog before, so I don’t know much about training...I don’t know, I guess I’m just looking for an easy companion.” The man continued to nod, his gaze piercing as he brought his hand to the top of his lip in thought. This pulled Wanda’s attention toward the area on his face for a moment, but she shook her head, refocussing. “Is this making sense?”

The man nodded, looking back toward the kennel in thought. He was one of those people who thought loudly, but not because it took him a while to process information. In fact, it only took seconds before he waved her over as he walked down to the fourth aisle. His strides were long and energetic, making Wanda think he was excited about this idea. But even his confidence couldn’t completely subdue the adrenaline coursing through her body as she soon found herself once again surrounded by howling dogs. 

Wanda followed him down the aisle and watched as he stopped in the middle, crouching down in front of the kennel on his right. Arms crossed, she observed as he gently addressed the dog with a wide smile, his blue eyes sparkling. She felt her shoulders drop at the sight, but she jumped as the man turned his attention toward her, realizing she was staring. He didn’t seem to notice and beckoned her. 

“I think you’ll like this one.” 

On shaking legs (when did her legs start to feel unsteady?), Wanda made her way toward the man, still standing as she peaked into the kennel. Her heart softened at the sight of an older dog, laying down on the too-small cot, head on it’s paws and big eyes looking up at the man tiredly. It’s coat was a muted auburn, speckled with gray patches on it’s ears and belly. It looked a bit scruffy, fur ratty and matted in a few areas, indicators that he had probably been at the shelter for a while. Wanda felt herself smiling, crouching down next to the man. Her voice dropped as she whispered a greeting in Sokovian. The dog lifted its head, it's dark eyes meeting hers as it’s tail began to wag. 

“I’m surprised it’s so quiet,” she commented to the man, her attention still on the dog. “I don’t think I’ve seen a dog this calm today.” 

She felt the man stir next to her, as if her comment had caught him off guard, but she didn’t pay much attention to it.

“Ah yes, well you see, he is a bit subdued in his old age. He’s nearly 10. From what I remember, his previous owner surrendered him because she had to move across the country. He’s remarkably well behaved, but not one to show off. And he doesn’t have many years left…” he regarded her worriedly “which is why, I’m afraid, he’s not the most popular among visitors.”

Wanda felt a small pain in her chest, thinking about the sweet face in front of her sitting alone, watching visitor after visitor pass by. 

“Does he have any health conditions?” she asked. 

“None, he’s remarkably healthy.”

“Does he have a history of biting? Killing small animals?”

“I can’t comment on how he acts around other animals, but no biting record that we know of.”

“Then why are you still here?” she asked out loud, mostly to herself as she placed her hand on the gate and watched with a small smile as the dog sniffed her fingers. 

“Well, we don’t quite know the breed,” the man said, “which is a deterrent for more people than you’d think. And...he’s old. He only has a few years left, probably. I will say, he is not an active dog. Short walks will be important, but he won’t want to do much more than that. But I do believe he would be an excellent companion.”

The man looked at her thoughtfully, a small smile tugging at his lips. Wanda’s gaze was still on the dog, the light in her eyes dropping as she considered the reality. Was three years enough time? This was supposed to help cope with losing Pietro. Would she be okay when she inevitably had to say goodbye to him? 

The man sensed her uncertainty and stood up, reaching for a leash.

“Let’s meet him,” he offered. “If you don’t think it will work out, I have a few other ideas. But I have a good feeling about this one. You might be surprised.”

Wanda swallowed her uncertainties down and nodded. The man unlocked the kennel door and she watched as the dog waited patiently for him to loop the rope around his neck. Wanda followed the two outside, smiling to herself as she watched the dog fall right into step with the man, his head drooped low a bit as if that small amount of movement was exhausting enough. 

Wanda sat on a bench outside and watched as the man freed the dog of the leash and observed. The dog walked around a bit, sniffing the area before relieving itself. 

“That’s a good sign,” the man said quickly, leaning slightly toward her, clearly trying to temper his enthusiasm. “It usually means he knows to only go outside. It could mean you’ll have an easier time house training him.”

Wanda just nodded as she watched the dog, waiting for the moment he would take off sprinting around the gated area. Instead, he mozied over to her, sniffing her hands before hoping up on the bench next to her. Wanda gave a surprised chuckle as he placed his head into her lap and rolled onto her back. She began to scratch him all over and his tongue dropped out of his mouth as he panted, content. This only encouraged Wanda, and she found herself calming down and she ran her fingers through his fur. It gave her mind something external to focus on. 

“Have you owned pets before?” the man asked, snapping her back to reality. She looked up to see he was observing the two of them with a warm regard. Probably pleased with his matchmaking, but it seemed deeper than that. Wanda shook her head.

“No, this is all new to me.”

“Well, maybe this is an even better situation for you,” he said. Wanda watched as the sun hit his blue eyes, his optimism practically radiating from his face. “Say you find you’re not a dog person, you won’t be stuck with him for the next decade. But I don’t think that’ll be an issue.”

Wanda chuckled, her hands continuing to pet the dog absentmindedly. Being outside made her feel more like herself. 

“You’re really pushing for me to get this dog, aren’t you?” she asked, her voice teasing. “You’re making me think there’s something wrong with him and that the shelter is desperate to get rid of him.”

The mirth dropped from the man’s face and he shook his head worriedly. 

“Not in the slightest!” he insisted. “I simply believe you two would be a good match. I apologize if I pushed the matter too much.”

“I’m just teasing you,” she said and watched as relief washed over his face before turning her attention back to the dog. “So, what’s his name.” 

“Sparky.”

Wanda’s nose crinkled at the name as she observed the dog that was falling asleep in her lap as she continued to pet him. The name seemed a bit...juvenile. 

“You don’t have to keep it,” the man said softly. “Shelters often throw names at the animals that come in without much thought. It’s to help us identify them. Loads of people will rename their pets after adoption.”

“No,” she said, observing the wide, sleepy smile on the dog’s face. A few moments ago, she would not have thought him not capable of such bliss and happiness, destined to be miserably sad the rest of his life. But there was something there. A bit of zeal underneath the neglect. Maybe he needed her as much as she needed him. “I think Sparky works.”

The man walked her through the rest of the adoption process and they made an appointment to pick Sparky up the next weekend. He was incredibly patient, his ease infectious. She was almost able to tune out the sounds of the kennel as they wrapped up the process. He was called away to help another visitor before she could ask for his name, and she left the kennel feeling a little disappointed. It seemed like a rather sudden way to end their interaction. But, he was a volunteer. He had to work. And she was sure she’d see him the following weekend.

Wanda tried to not feel disappointed that Saturday when she looked around the shelter for that blonde head while she waited for another volunteer to grab Sparky. She even peeked into the kennel room momentarily. After a few moments of observation, she noticed five volunteers inside, none looked familiar. Trying to ignore her disappointment, she retreated back to the waiting room when the howling became too much to handle.

But it did not last long. She felt a soft pair of paws on her lap, pulling her out of her mind and into the present. Sparky stared at her, mouth open and panting in excitement. Wanda smiled back, scratching him behind his ear and his tail wagged. 

Maybe this was going to work out.


	2. I Think We Can

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda runs into the man from the animal shelter, thanks to a little help from Sparky.

“Ah, Sparky, stop!”

Wanda pulled back on the thick black leash, both hands clenching until her knuckles turned white. Green eyes wide, she watched worriedly as her dog casually walked between a man’s legs, looking down at his very polished, very expensive shoes and sniffed. Wanda gulped, looking up at the man. He wore sunglasses, so she couldn’t tell if he noticed what was going on yet. Shrugging her worn messenger bag up her arm, Wanda gently tugged on the leash, hoping it would guide Sparky away. Sparky, still learning Wanda’s cues, was oblivious to the suggestion and continued sniffing.

The last thing she wanted to do was yank her dog back. Wanda didn’t want someone nearby to hear the spectacle and judge her dog owning abilities. Usually, people didn’t bat an eye toward those around them, but when it came to dogs...they got really fired up. She couldn’t handle another tirade this week. 

“Sparky, come here,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. She pulled at the leash a little more, it’s connection to a harness causing Sparky’s paws to lift a bit from the ground. This caught the man’s attention. He looked down at the commotion, brows raising when he saw how close the dog’s nose was to his well polished leather. With a small sneer, he stepped around Sparky’s sniffer, wiping his hand on the front of his suit jacket. 

“Cute dog,” he said loud enough for her to hear, nose scrunched in disgust. 

Without anything interesting to examine, Sparky walked back to Wanda’s side, sitting by her feet and panting. Wrapping the extra slack of the leash around her hand, Wanda let out a slow breath and continued down the street. 

While lately, navigating the city could be an exhausting ordeal she didn’t want to deal with, it was usually never something Wanda had to worry about unless she was having a bad day. She was used to falling into step with traffic, weaving her way around the stagnant tourists or slow walkers to get where she needed to go. Like she said, unless dogs were involved, people didn’t pay attention to one another. The anonymity was comforting. She never realized how difficult it could be with a dog. Especially one that wasn’t trained. Or, was trained, but in a language that she didn’t understand just yet. 

Adding to the stress was the fact that Wanda and Sparky were in a rather ritzy part of town. The plazas in the business district were the only spots with outdoor coffee houses and cafes, where she could work on her dissertation without leaving him at home. One of the things that kept her somewhat sane while pursuing her doctorate was keeping her work life separate from the rest of her life. Before Sparky, Wanda lived in the library and the coffee shops closer to her apartment. And she technically still could....but she felt bad leaving Sparky alone in the kennel for hours on end. She tried that at first, but felt too guilty about it all when she would come home and see his sad eyes light up when he got to see her. 

Plus, he was a good writing partner - always available for some comforting pets for those days when writers block got the best of her. 

Wanda guided Sparky down some stairs and into a small city park, trapped between a busy street and three sides of tall buildings. A few stores, restaurants and coffee shops with patios lined the perimeter. There were plenty of empty tables and enough green space for Sparky to run around...once he came to her when she called his name, of course. It was perfect. Natasha assured her this was the best place to be, beside Late Night Grind, the overnight coffee house and bar where she worked. It was one of Wanda’s favorite spots, but sadly, not pet friendly.

“It’s perfect, but I’m telling you now, you will feel out of place,” she said bluntly, sliding a small pamphlet across the bar. “No students in sight. But fairly quiet after 9AM since everyone’s in the office by then.”

“Quiet is what I need,” Wanda said as she flipped through the pages, her attention catching on the picture of the green space. “Does the park really look like this? I didn’t think grass could get this green…”

“It’s also a bit of a walk from your place,” Natasha said as she went back to the espresso machine, heating up a mug of milk as she threw a wink to one of the men in line. Wanda wasn’t sure which. A pack of athletes came in not moments ago. “Especially if you go during rush hour.”

“That could be good. Sparky could use the exercise…” 

Wanda stuffed the pamphlet in her bag. She craned her neck to see if she could pick out which fit undergrad caught her friend’s attention. There were two generic white guys with wet spiky hair - swimmers from the look of it - but they seemed caught in some conversation. Wanda furrowed her brow, her confusion only deepening it when she saw a shorter guy with messy black hair and glasses smile to himself. 

Wanda looked back at Nat, who looked pleased with herself as she puffed her chest out. She returned back to her latte making as if nothing just happened.

“Wait, wait wait hold up,” Wanda said, leaning toward Natasha to get her attention. “Glasses?”

Natasha shrugged, finishing her design with a flourish and sliding it to the woman waiting next to Wanda. 

“Glasses aren’t a bad thing,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips.

“I didn’t say they weren’t. I just wouldn’t peg him as your type.” 

“I don’t think he would either.” 

Wanda glanced at her, taking a careful sip of her tea - courtesy of Nat because that doctoral candidate salary really stripped her budget - and considering her friend thoughtfully.

“So you two aren’t a thing?”

“Not yet. Give me a week. He clearly knows when I work, so if he keeps happening to show up while I’m here, and I’m not distracted helping you,” she gave Wanda a teasing, pointed look, “who knows? I could have a date for the holidays.” 

“Just don’t hurt him,” Wanda said, watching as the man with glasses poured over some thick texts with long equations. Something completely beyond her understanding. 

“So, how are you, how’s the dissertation?” Natasha asked, pulling out three cups to start on her next few orders. Wanda sunk down a bit, feeling her body retreat into her thick cardigan. Nat was clearly preoccupied...but she did ask.

“It’s fine. Still trying to catch up on research from last semester,” she hid behind her mug, thinking about six months ago, but shook the thoughts out of her head.

“Are you happy with where it’s going?”

“I guess.”

In reality, she was way behind her year 1 projections. It was natural for doctoral candidates to take longer on their dissertations than anticipated, but Pietro’s death basically wiped out half a semester and a summer. She canceled five interviews that she worked so hard to schedule because, as Pietro’s only family, she had to deal with funeral arrangements and going through his stuff and the general grief that came with losing a loved one. She wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to reschedule them. But even without the extra resources, Wanda worried she wouldn’t get her basic research done before her funding ran out, or that she would but it would be rushed, lacking the thoroughness and detail that she liked to include in her projects. 

But that was a lot to divulge in the middle of a busy coffee shop, while her friend focussed half her attention on latte art.

“Have you been getting out of your apartment?” Natasha asked, clearly picking up on the hesitation in Wanda’s tone. “And not just to take your dog around. Have you been seeing people? Doing fun things?”

Wanda thought to herself. The last time she saw Darcy and Monica was...the last girl’s night before the semester began. And the last time she saw Steve was…

Natasha reached out to touch Wanda’s hand, pulling her out of her thoughts. She was surprised to see concern on her friend’s face. That wasn’t normal.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you have this dog,” Nat said. “I can tell it’s helping, even if it pees on the carpet sometimes, but don’t forget to talk to people too.” She pulled away, the concern gone and replaced with her usual dry demeanor. “And don’t wait until the next girl’s night.”

A sharp tug on her arm pulled Wanda out of her thoughts. Sparky clawed for the grass, whining a bit. Ah yes. He probably had to go. She walked him behind a tree and let him do his business while observing the area. Nat was right, the place was practically empty after 9. Now, to figure out which patio looked less intimidating. 

She settled on a coffee shop with wicker chairs, large tables, and visible charging ports. She didn’t even go inside before claiming a table. It took her a minute to get set up, but she was well into a research hole before long. Wiped from the walk, Sparky slept under the shade of her seat, but she looped his leash around the leg just to be safe. Wanda was shocked, almost, at how well this plan had worked. She was focussed, getting her work done and really did not have to worry about Sparky. 

That is, until lunch hour. She didn’t realize three hours passed until she heard more footsteps passing by her. Men and women in business professional attire lined up outside the different eateries, many in groups chatting loudly about this, that, and the other. Wanda took this as a sign to take a break and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the sun against her skin. It was a remarkably nice day. 

Unbeknownst to her, Sparky woke up and walked a leash-length away from the chair, panting excitedly at the movement. He didn’t try to bolt - he didn’t have that much energy - but he was definitely in the middle of foot traffic, causing some people to trip over him. Wanda didn’t realize what was happening until she heard him whining, looking up at the different people and walking toward them, trying to get their attention. Her gaze snapped toward him frantically and she felt embarrassment wash over her.

“Sparky, come here!”

Sparky, unaware this was a command, ignored her and whined louder at the lack of attention from strangers. Wanda called him again, her voice wobbling as she did not want to draw too much attention toward her predicament. But, to no avail. Unsure of what else to do, Wanda stood up to go grab him.

“Come on, boy, let’s not annoy the nice people.”

A soft thud sounded behind her and suddenly - Sparky was walking further away from her. Wanda turned around to see her seat knocked over and then whipped her head back around just in time to see Sparky’s leash slide into the crowd. 

“Shit, shit, shit! Sparky!”

Wanda jumped into the crowd, stringing apologies together as she unintentionally shouldered and elbowed her way past people, eyes locked on the handle of the leash. Sparky wasn’t fast, but every time she was close enough to grab the leash someone would step in front of her. She groaned in frustration, continuing to call Sparky back and lunge for the leash every attempt she got. She refused to take her eyes off it.

Until it disappeared.

Wanda saw it. With sudden speed, it slipped between someone’s legs, as if Sparky ran forward. Wanda’s brows knit and she whispered a curse in Sokovian. She charged forward in the direction she saw the leash move, weaving her way between two people waiting in line for a sandwich, but halted as her gaze landed on a familiar pair of blue eyes.

If she noticed anything else about the man first, she wouldn’t have recognized him right away. Today, he wore a suit, like everyone else in the plaza. Pale blue with a light gray tie that was clearly tailored. Suits off the rack did not fit men that well. 

It took Wanda a moment to realize he was holding a leash, and that Sparky was sitting at his feet, tongue out and eyes on her. 

“Oh my god, Sparky,” she sighed rushing forward to take the leash from the man. “Thank you. He’s not fast, but there’s enough people here that I couldn’t see to grab him.”

“It’s no problem,” the man said with a smile, looking down at Wanda as she crouched to scratch Sparky’s ears. She felt the adrenaline dissipate as Sparky rolled onto his back, shifting Wanda’s pets to his stomach. “I’m glad to see you two are getting along so well.” 

Wanda looked up at him, her hand still petting Sparky. So he did recognize her as well. That was a good sign. The sun caught onto his hair and it practically glowed with warmth above her. Wanda felt her lips tug at the sight. Business formal looked good on him. 

“We have our days that’s for sure,” she said, directing it mostly to Sparky as she ruffled his fur. She looked back up at the man, almost surprised to find his undivided attention, prompting her to continue. “We’re still learning how to communicate. He doesn’t realize that I’ll take him out to pee as long as he tells me. And commands have been difficult. Whether he obeys is...hit or miss.”

The man dropped down to her level, his hand patting Sparky’s side softly. The dog arched it’s back, pleased. 

“You’ve had him a month now, yes?” Wanda nodded. “Some of this will come with time. Dogs look for structure, rules, and Sparky is still learning yours. As for the commands, that may take a little more work, but he’s good natured enough. Just be patient.”

Wanda sighed, nodding along with his advice. It matched up everything she had read and watched online. Didn’t make it any easier. 

“It will get easier, I promise,” he said, as if reading her mind. 

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. The two stayed there in silence for a moment, the man continuing to pet Sparky while Wanda studied him. He was gentle with the dog, his hands running soothingly across Sparky’s fur that caused his tail to swipe back and forth. The man smiled softly as he attended the dog, a kindness lighting his eyes that caused Wanda’s heart to melt just a little bit. 

“I didn’t get your name at the shelter,” she found herself saying. “You were called away before I could ask.”

“Ah yes,” he said, holding out his hand. “Victor Shade, but everyone calls me Vision.” 

Wanda took his hand, her face unable to betray her confusion with his nickname.

“A nickname from my boss and longtime friend,” he said. It sounded like he had to explain this often. “Don’t ask why that’s the nickname he chose, he never gives the same answer twice.” 

“Vision it is then,” she said, standing with the leash in hand. Vision followed suit. “Judging by the attire, you must not work at the shelter full time.”

“Ah, no I do not,” he said, shyly tucking his hands into his pockets. “I volunteer a few times a month.”

“So you work in one of these buildings?” she asked, looking up at the high rises around them. 

“Yes, in the Stark Industries tower,” he said nonchalantly pointing to the tallest building behind Wanda. She turned around, baffled.

“Stark Industries?” she asked. “So you must be a genius.”

Vision chuckled to himself, shifting on his feet as his gaze kept flickering to the ground. 

“I wouldn’t say a genius,” he said.

“So what? You’re an engineer?”

“Well, of sorts. Artificial Intelligence Technician, technically,” he cleared his throat, turning his attention back to her. “And what about you? Which building do you work in?”

“None of them,” Wanda said. “I’m actually here to work on my…” she thought of her books, her purse, and her expensive laptop sitting unattended at the patio table. “Shit! My laptop! Uh, give me a second.” 

She wasn’t sure how, but all of her items were at the table, undisturbed. Wanda even went so far as to check all the pockets in her purse and every fold in her wallet just to make sure everything was accounted for. She really could not afford to lose any of this right now. She was busy fingering through her cash, counting it softly to herself, when she heard Vision from behind her.

“Is everything alright?”

He leaned forward with a concerned look. Wanda let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and nodded.

“I forgot I left all my stuff here,” she said. “I’m surprised it’s all still here, honestly.” 

“Well, I’m sure a bunch of engineers and business execs are in need or petty cash, or dying to read,” Vision picked up the book closest to him and glanced at the title, “Psychology, Poverty, and the End of Social Exclusion....actually this sounds fascinating.” Vision flipped open the cover to read the flap. “Are you a student?”

“Doctoral candidate,” Wanda said. 

“Ah, so you do research. Are you at NYU?” he asked, looking back up at her with interest. “I know some of the professors and doctoral students there. Not in the psychology program, I’m afraid. That’s a bit out of my wheelhouse.” 

“Well, artificial intelligence is definitely out of mine. I definitely couldn’t do what you do. I barely passed my statistics class in undergrad.” 

Vision smiled at her kindly, his eyes sparkling as he considered her. Wanda felt something stir warmly in her, but before she could pay it much attention, he broke eye contact and the moment was gone.

“I’m afraid I have to go,” he said, his voice sounding genuinely apologetic. “I have a meeting with my boss at the top of the hour.” 

“The boss-friend who gave you the nickname,” she said and he confirmed with a nod and soft chuckle. “Well, thank you again, for grabbing Sparky for me.”

At the mention of the dog, Vision bent down to give Sparky a few more pets.

“Of course, I’m happy I could help.” 

The two shared one last look before Vision walked past her toward the Stark Industries tower. Wanda waited a second before letting out a long sigh and slouching down into her chair. She let the events of the past 5 minutes sink in and realized all too late that she should’ve asked for his number. That’s what she would’ve done in the past, back before the accident…

Resolving to do better the next time, Wanda wrapped Sparky’s leash around the arm of the chair - hopefully to avoid another runaway incident - and waited for her laptop to boot up again. She just started to type in her password when hurried footsteps came up behind her. Lunch hour was well over and there were considerably less people outside. She turned around and noticed Vision was heading back her way. 

“Here’s a bright idea,” he said. “I trained dogs during college to pay for tuition. It’s why I volunteer at the animal shelter. I’d be happy to help you and Sparky...communicate better, as you put it.”

Wanda softened at the request.

“Thank you for the offer,” she said. “But...doctoral candidates don’t exactly make a lot of money, so I’m not sure I can afford private training lessons.”

She cringed internally. Why was she finding an excuse to not hang out with this rather endearing man? Had she not just wished she asked for his number. Her answer seemed to have caught him off guard, because he looked at her, mouth opened, as she watched the gears in his head turn fast to chur out a response. 

“Well, it’s really not a problem,” he said with a wave of his hand. “I don’t mind.”

“Vision, I’m not going to let you give me and my dog free training lessons. I’ve researched local training companies - it’s expensive. I don’t want to put you out.”

“Well, what if we find some other way for you to pay me back.”

Wanda felt her stomach drop at the suggestion and raised an eyebrow. She didn’t like where this was going, and felt disappointed. He didn’t seem like that kind of guy. 

“Like what?” she asked, her voice pointed and serious. 

Vision’s eyes went wide, his face growing pale as he shook his head.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. In fact, I don’t really know what I meant. I guess...consider this a friendly favor. Nope. That still doesn’t sound right.”

Red crept up the collar of his dress shirt and to his cheeks. He was clearly embarrassed. Wanda smiled, sensing his discomfort, but it compelled her to trust him.

“I think I get what you’re saying now.” 

Vision’s eyes lit up. 

“So we can work something out?”

“Yes, I think we can.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was fun! i have no idea where this is going, but I plan on writing more chapters. Also - did you notice the cameo at the beginning of the chapter? Thanks for the lovely comments <3


	3. I Can Make That Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a week of trying to keep her attraction to a certain Stark Industries employee hidden from her friends, Wanda meets up with Vision for their first dog training session.

Wanda was not working as effectively as she planned that afternoon. While the business plaza had proven to be an effective location for her dissertation work (on nice days of course) she couldn’t get through reading two sentences of the study she pulled without her phone going off. 

She had done it to herself. Earlier that day, she texted a few of her friends asking when they could all get together next. Nat told her to connect with people more and her therapist proposed a similar idea in their most recent session. Wanda mostly sent out the message so that Doctor Strange didn’t get on her case the next week, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t miss her friend group.

Darcy: Glad you’re alive Wanda. Why did you drop off the face of the earth?

Monica: Wow, way to be rude. 

Nat: She’s been busy. Give her a break. 

Darcy: *goofy emoji*

They’d ask to see pictures of the dog, and Wanda took a quick snap of Sparky, who sat below her seat in the shade, dozing off after the long commute that morning. She tried to ignore the barrage of messages, especially as her friends began conversations amongst themselves, not about the meet up. But it was proving to be useless. Clearly, no one had talked in the months since their last girls night. Everyone had a lot to say, and wanting to know how her friends were doing, she couldn’t bring herself to silence her phone

Wanda: So….hanging out. When are you all free?

Darcy: I want mimosas! Brunch on Saturday?

Nat: That works with me. It needs to be late, though, I’m closing Friday. 

Monica: I could go for a late brunch.

Wanda cringed. She hoped they would agree to a wine night. They always planned wine nights. Why did everyone want to go to brunch all of a sudden? She clicked out of the group message and went to the third most recent text exchange on her phone. 

Wanda: Hi! It’s Wanda and Sparky. 

Vision: Good to hear from you. I’m assuming you’d like to schedule your training session.

Wanda: Sure, is there a time that works for you? I teach a couple evening classes during the week. But I’m more flexible on weekends.

Vision: I’m free Saturday. 1PM? 

Wanda: Sure!

Apart from the two Saturdays at the animal shelter, Wanda had spent every Saturday this semester working on her dissertation. Alone. Why did everyone decide to plan things for this Saturday, and at the same time? She just had to prove to Doctor Strange that she could reach out to people, initiate conversations. Wanda clicked back to her group chat. Darcy had sent a few texts, asking over and over again if that worked for her and checking, once again, to make sure she was alive. She sucked in a breath, typed a quick, vague message and hit send. 

Wanda: I can’t do Saturday afternoon.

Nat: You can take a day off your dissertation for some eggs. 

Darcy: AND MIMOSAS! DON’T FORGET THE MIMOSAS!

Nat: Or you can skip the alcohol and work on your research after we hang out. 

Monica: Or before, if you’re up early. Come on, Wanda. We haven’t seen you in months.

Wanda took a deep breath, debating what she should tell her friends. Because mentioning Sparky’s training would evidently lead to talking about Vision. Under any other circumstance, Wanda would assume that he was into her. He had been nothing but kind, considerate and oddly attentive the two times they talked. But, that also seemed to be in his nature. She’d seen him out in the plaza while she worked. He stood with some coworkers, chatting openly, listening attentively to whoever was speaking. 

Vision was a nice guy.

They’d exchange a friendly wave if they caught each other’s eye, but a coworker would quickly pull Vision back into the conversation, which would compel her to go back to her research. They wouldn’t acknowledge each other again. 

Not to mention the whole text exchange left a weird feeling in her stomach. Vision seemed...rather formal. But, she could also be reading into the lack of exclamation points. Maybe he had to text professionally for work...

Her friends - ever the supportive group and happy to see her finally interested in someone - would get her hopes up, or compel her to pursue him, and the last time that happened…

She typed out a few messages, but deleted them, not liking how they sounded. The whole situation was too complicated to put to text. 

Wanda: I actually have plans that afternoon but I’m free or for wine night!

She hit send and waited. Her phone was silent for a moment, and she thought maybe, just maybe, her friends didn’t suspect anything. That was until Darcy, Nat, and Monica texted her at the same time, and multiple times.

Nat: Plans?

Monica: Good for you! What are you doing?

Darcy: PLANS?!?!? What plans? Aren’t you trying to finish a dissertation?

Nat: What plans?

Monica: Oh my god guys calm down!

Nat: Did you start those kickboxing classes I told you about?

Monica: Don’t give her a hard time.

Darcy: YEAH WHO ELSE DO YOU SEE BESIDES US??

And so forth. Wanda tried to wait until the notifications calmed, but Monica’s admonishments just started side conversations with Natasha and Darcy. So she interjected. 

Wanda: Sparky’s got a training session tomorrow. I figured we’d do a wine night when I scheduled it. 

Nat: I thought you couldn’t find a trainer in your price range. 

Wanda: I was able to work something out.

That seemed to convince Monica and Darcy, and Darcy resigned to a wine night. But Natasha, knowing Wanda better than the other two, called her. Wanda stared at her contact photo - a picture of the two of them at some Halloween party in undergrad - and considered ignoring the call, but Nat knew she was by her phone and would only call her until she picked up. 

“What’s up?” Wanda said, trying to keep her voice level and casual.

“You’re not getting free dog training lessons for sex, are you?” Nat asked dryly. 

Wanda choked on the air around her, not expecting her friend to be this blunt.

“Ah, so you are. I didn’t think you had it in you, but good for you --”

“Oh my god, Nat, no that’s not it,” Wanda said. Her legs crossed as the sudden desire to crawl inside of herself and hide overwhelmed her senses. She reached below her chair, her fingers finding Sparky’s fur and she scratched him on the back. 

“Okay, because if I remember correctly, on the first night you got that dog, you couldn’t afford any of the trainers in town. I offered to help, but you said it would be fine. So I’m just confused how you found someone in your budget. Because we even looked at trainers in Jersey.” 

Wanda stayed silent for a moment, her brain trying to form a sentence that wouldn’t lie but wouldn’t egg her friend on. Until she could see how she and Vision interacted during this training session, she didn’t want to mention him and get her friends’ hopes up...get her hopes up. 

“So remember that volunteer at the animal shelter I told you about?” she asked. 

“Yes, the one who helped you find Sparky because it was overwhelming. What about them?” Nat spoke quickly, clearly wanting Wanda to get on with the story.

“Well, I ran into him last week. He works in that plaza you told me about.” 

Nat stayed silent, forcing Wanda to either continue with the story or sit in uncomfortable silence. So Wanda continued.

“Anyway, it was the first day I was there. Sparky got away and I had a hard time grabbing him because there were...so many people around. I don’t know how he got through the crowd...but anyway, that volunteer was there. He helped me grab Sparky and we got to talking about how we have a hard time communicating. And then he mentioned later that he trained dogs to pay for college and said he could help me train Sparky.” 

“Well if he works in that plaza he isn’t stripped for cash, that’s for sure,” Nat said, sounding a bit unsure but also...impressed? “Is he cute?”

“Nat!”

“So he is cute?”

“I...I…” Wanda quickly debated how to answer the question. If she said yes, then she wouldn’t be able to talk to Nat without her bringing him up. “I don’t know. He’s nice and attentive, but that seems to be how he treats everyone.” 

She hoped that would get Nat off the topic, but she could hear the smile in her voice.

“You didn’t answer the question,” Nat said. “I’ve known you for years. I don’t know why you’re trying to change the subject. There’s nothing wrong with being attractive to a...what was it...nice and attentive guy?” 

“Can we not talk about this yet?” Wanda asked tightly, surprised at how panicked she sounded. “Just...just not yet. I’ll be ready Saturday night. But not now. Please?”

Nat was silent, and Wanda wondered if she was upset. But instead, Nat’s voice softened. 

“Of course,” she said. “I didn’t mean to push. We used to talk about this stuff all the time. And you just haven’t been telling me things lately…I don’t want you to think that I’m judging you or that I don’t care.”

Wanda nodded, trying to steady her breathing. Sparky - sensing something was amiss - walked out from under the chair and placed his paws on her thighs. Wanda smiled and scratched his ears. 

“I know,” she finally said. “I’m sorry. I know you care, but...I….I just need some more time. To make sure this is...real. And not just in our heads...in my head.”

“I can wait,” Nat said and then paused a moment, seeming to contemplate her next words. “They’re not all Struckers, Wanda.”

Wanda could only nod as she felt her chest tighten. She stopped petting Sparky, honestly forgetting that he was right in front of her. 

“I know.”

Her voice was hollow, but she forced a little cheerfulness to it, not wanting to worry her friend more. 

Wanda couldn’t bring herself to say much else. Natasha seemed to get the hint and said they would talk more tomorrow before hanging up. As she put her phone back on the table, Wanda knew she wasn’t going to get more work done that day. 

The rest of the week passed by uneventfully. Monica and Darcy continued to chat in their group text, but Natasha went radio silent. Wanda knew she was trying to give her space. It was what Wanda wanted, but something nagged at the back of her head, telling her she overreacted and that Nat was going to be upset with her. But, she pushed the thoughts from her head. She’d unpack those another day. For now, she had to work on research enough so that she didn’t think about her Saturday afternoon plans.

That worked, for the most part. Wanda got through her days on autopilot, sticking as strictly to her schedule as she could so she didn’t have to think about much else. It didn’t truly hit her that she would be spending an entire hour, uninterrupted, with Vision until she was at the park, waiting for him on a bench. It was the first moment in days, really, that she had to just sit and rest. To think. Not just about Vision, but everything else in her life. She pulled up their text conversation from earlier that morning to distract herself. 

Wanda: 1PM still work today?

Vision: Yes. I was thinking we could meet here.

*Vision shared a pin*

Wanda: Yeah, works for me!

The formality of the exchange still threw her. Her leg bounced as she read it over a few more times, checking her Map App to make sure she was at the right location. Finding she was right where she needed to be wasn’t as comforting as she hoped. Her thoughts screamed loudly in her mind. The rest of the world, a blurry after thought, the bird chirps and rustling leaves white noise behind it all. 

It took her a few moments to realize someone was calling her name. Wanda blinked, forcing her mind back to reality to see Vision walking her way. His warm smile dropped when they made eye contact and he slowed his step.

“Is everything alright?” he asked.

“Yeah!” Wanda said, forcing a smile and a peppiness to her tone. “I’m fine.”

“You’re certain?” 

Vision clearly wasn’t convinced and his eyes traveled to her lap. Wanda followed them, only to see that at some point, Sparky had popped up next to her and rested his head on her lap. Feeling his chest rise and fall, his quick heartbeat against her leg, made her smile. It was small, but genuine, and she pet his fur. 

“Yes, just a long week” she said, not wanting to go into too much detail with a man who was practically a stranger. Feeling a little uncomfortable with the attention on her, she shifted the conversation to Sparky. “He’s sweet though, isn’t it? It’s hard to stay mad at him.”

Wanda could tell Vision was still worried. He stepped forward and turned his attention on the dog, but she could tell there was an unspoken question in his mind. She decided to ignore it.

“He most certainly cares about you a great deal,” he said, scratching Sparky between his ears. Sparky closed his eyes happily, his mouth opening and tongue dangling. “Which is a good sign. It tells me he’s good natured and wants to follow your rules. He just doesn’t know what they are. Yet.”

“I wouldn’t say I do either,” Wanda said. “I think I told you back at the shelter, but this is my first dog. I did some research on basic training but...either I’m not being consistent enough or he doesn’t understand me.” 

“May I?” Vision asked, gesturing toward the leash. 

Wanda gave him the reins and watched as he skillfully guided Sparky away from the bench and into the grass. 

“Alright, chap. Let’s see what you know. Can you sit?”

Sparky stilled, his tail wagging as he turned to face Wanda. Wanda giggled a bit and waved to him. 

“Sit,” Vision said, his voice stern but not loud. This caught Sparky’s attention, his gaze snapping away from Wanda. 

“Sit.” This time, Vision held his hand open with the palm up. 

Sparky sat, almost immediately. Vision’s face broke out into a bright smile and he rewarded Sparky with a small treat, smelly enough that Wanda could smell it. 

“This is a good sign,” Vision said looking over at her brightly. He seemed excited by the progress. “It means he has been trained, so as you noted the other day, you need to learn how to speak the same language.”

He motioned for her to join them and she stood, a bit hesitant about it all. Vision handed her one of the smelly treats and instructed her to keep it in her left hand, hidden from Sparky. 

“So, I need to learn hand signals?” she asked, her fingers flexing as she spoke.

“Well, it’s a combination of hand signals and tone of voice. You saw what I just did, yes?”

Wanda opened her hand, palm up, and showed it to Vision.

“So this is sit?” she asked. 

“Exactly, now, I’d like you to try giving the command to Sparky.” 

Vision moved out of the way so Wanda could stand before her dog. She looked down at him. He seemed happy to be there, his tail swiping back and forth as he looked up at her. It was impossible to not smile when he looked that excited. Wanda straightened her shoulders and paused before throwing her hand out.

“Sit.”

The command felt weird coming out of her mouth, and clearly didn’t capture Sparky’s attention, because he saw a squirrel climb up a nearby tree and started to walk toward it. Luckily, Vision had the leash and tightened his grip, keeping Sparky nearby. Wanda let out a quiet sigh, feeling the frustration bloom in her chest. 

“Good first attempt,” she heard Vision say beside her, his tone rather optimistic given her recent failure. “You got the hand signal down. It was clear and strong. But your words need to match it.”

“I don’t want to sound angry with him,” she said, the smile on Sparky’s face too cute to be angry with. Besides, he clearly cared about her, even though they hadn’t been together long. She didn’t want to scare him.

Wanda didn’t realize she said that last part out loud until Vision responded. 

“There’s a way to do it without sounding angry,” he said, with an understanding that put Wanda at ease. “You need to be loud and firm, not emphatic, necessarily. It’s to show him that you are in charge, that he needs to look up to you. Remember, dogs are happier when there is structure and rules.”

Wanda nodded, ready to try it again. She looked down at Sparky and tried her best to not be swayed but his happy panting and tail wagging. She also tried to ignore Vision’s piercing look beside her. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but whatever it was, it was intense. Wanda straightened, looking down at Sparky, waiting for him to look up at her to make sure she had his attention. 

“Sit.” 

This time, he kept his attention on her, but still didn’t move. Wanda tried to suppress a groan, feeling impatient.

“No, no, this is good,” Vision said, stepping forward. 

“He didn’t sit, I wouldn’t call that good,” Wanda said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Why won’t he listen?”

“He is listening, Wanda,” Vision said reassuringly. His conviction surprised Wanda, and she turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

“How can you tell?” she asked, not believing him.

“Because he looked at you the entire time,” he said, meeting her skeptic look head on. His eyes were earnest, and so sure of himself. “I know I didn’t say this before, but repetition is key. If you just say ‘sit’ all willy nilly every so often, he won’t learn that it’s one of your rules. It just sounds like every other word you say to him. But, he’s paying attention, which means it’s catching on.”

Every instinct Wanda had told her to not believe Vision. Sparky just didn’t understand her, and would never understand her, and she was resigned to live with a dog that she could never really understand for the rest of his life. And she would never feel connected to this dog entirely because of that but it would be better than being alone. 

But, the rational part of her brain reminded her that Vision did know what he was talking about. That he trained dogs before, worked with them often. So maybe she should trust his judgement…

Vision seemed to sense her inner conflict.

“Try it once more,” he said. He seemed so sure of her abilities and looked so excited about it that Wanda couldn’t bring it in herself to say no.

She turned to face Sparky, who still looked up at her expectantly. That was reassuring, and gave her a little boost of confidence. Wanda straightened, made sure Sparky’s attention was on her, and extended her hand again.

“Sit.”

It didn’t happen immediately, but Sparky did plop down on the ground, still smiling. Wanda found herself beaming as relief washed over her. She crouched down to him, petting him all over as she handed him the treat. Sparky took it out of her hand carefully and rolled onto his back so Wanda could pet his stomach. 

“Ah! You did it, good boy, good boy,” she said, the excitement from the success lightening her tone. She looked up at Vision, who considered the sight fondly and with pride. But not the self-centered kind, where he was proud of his teaching capabilities. He looked at her proudly. 

“That was excellent, Wanda,” he said. “See, you just needed to trust yourself.”

His gaze was so sincere, so focussed on her, it made Wanda blush. She scolded herself for the reaction. Vision was clearly just a kind person. Kinder than most people she knew....maybe that’s why she thought she was into him. Maybe she was affection-starved. 

Vision spent the rest of the hour observing Wanda as she practiced the command. He insisted repetition would help Sparky learn so, down the road, he would do it without hesitation. Vision also taught her the hand motion for Stay and Lie Down. Sparky didn’t pick up on those as quickly, but Vision remained patient with the process, so Wanda begrudgingly followed suit, as much as she wanted to call it quits early. While Sparky was not an active dog, he had a particularly difficult time with Stay. Not because he would move toward Wanda, but as Vision pointed out, he was easily distracted. Small critters and leaves caught his attention, and he would turn to sniff them as they crossed his path. Wanda got particularly frustrated with herself when Sparky decided the grass, bending a bit in the wind, was more interesting. 

“What am I doing wrong?” she asked to the sky as she crossed her arms, frustrated. 

“Well, he is an older dog,” Vision said, unfazed by her reaction. “He could also just be tired. Learning like this takes stamina.”

Wanda nodded, jaw tight. She opened her bag to pull out a water bottle and portable, velcro bowl. Sparky noticed it immediately and his tail wagged happily as he walked over to her. He even went so far as to drink out of the bottle as Wanda tried to pour him water, lightly splashing her arms and face. He was so happy, Wanda couldn’t be mad. She just laughed and let him drink. 

She didn’t notice that Vision was looking at them right away, but eventually caught his pleased smile. It had that warmth to it that seemed to always catch her attention, stirring something in her abdomen. 

“You look pleased, considering we had a rather difficult end there,” she said.

“You both made more progress than you think,” he said, moving forward to sit down next to Wanda. “Obviously, you won’t get it perfect after one hour. But give it a few weeks, and you won’t need me anymore.”

Wanda didn’t expect her mood to deflate at that notion. This really was just a kind favor, on his end, because he was a kind person. But before she could think too much on it, Vision spoke again.

“And how can I not be pleased, after seeing I clearly made a perfect match at the shelter,” he said, smug. It was a new tone and Wanda couldn’t help but laugh when looking at the pleased look on his face. 

“You really think so?” Wanda asked, guiding Sparky to her lap so that she could hold him while he dozed off. Vision watched, his smile only growing. 

“As soon as I saw you in the shelter, I knew you two would get along great,” he said, but then realized what he was insinuating and quickly jumped to speak again, cutting off Wanda’s growling confused face. “I didn’t...I didn’t mean for that to come across the way it did…”

“No, please,” Wanda said, amused by Vision’s flustered rambling. It bolstered her confidence and her voice took a teasing tone. “What was this first impression?”

“I...umm…” the blush returned to his neck and Wanda watched as it reached his cheeks. He scratched the back of his neck nervously, refusing to look at her.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m just teasing you. I know I was a nervous wreck that day.”

So nervous that she almost started crying before Vision found her. But she wasn’t going to mention that to him. She didn’t need force sympathy. 

“The shelter is an emotionally-trying space,” he said, his gaze a bit distant. “At least, it is for anyone with an inkling of empathy. I get worried when people walk past the kennels unfazed.”

“Does that really happen?” she asked, unable to comprehend how someone couldn’t be at least a little overwhelmed in that sort of environment.

“Obviously the staff becomes...desensitized over a period of time. And a majority of people grow accustomed to the smells and the barking after a moment. But you occasionally get the person who walks around unaffected by it all. I even saw someone laugh when one of our more aggressive dogs lunged at him from inside the kennel. And not because he was scared.” 

“A match made in heaven then,” Wanda said. 

The two fell into silence, neither talking or making a move to end the “training session.” It was comfortable, Wanda staring out into the park while petting Sparky softly. She wanted to use the opportunity to learn more about Vision. She wanted to question that desire, but the ease of their previous teasing made her feel more comfortable with the notion. 

“How long have you worked for the shelter?” she asked.

“Oh years,” Vision said. “I started after graduating from university. I was job searching and needed something to do with my time. Engineering school can be intense and I wasn’t used to the freetime. Once I got a full time job, I moved to a twice-a-month schedule, and I’ll help them with events if they ever have any.” 

“You must have a dog of your own,” Wanda said. “Or at least one. I could see you with two dogs.”

Vision’s smile grew tight and he looked down into his lap.

“I’ve never adopted one, actually. At least in my adult life.”

“But you’re so good with them,” Wanda said, shocked. 

Vision chuckled, but his heart wasn’t in it.

“Yes, but I’m afraid my schedule is a bit...unconventional. Back when I started in A-I, I’d work 60, 80 hours a week, easily. I didn’t want to adopt a dog just to keep it in a kennel all day. It seemed...inhumane. And then, time went on, the hours never really changed. And now I work for Stark Industries and sometimes need to travel for my job. Again...I wouldn’t want to bring a dog into my life knowing I couldn’t...be there for it. Clearly, you can bring Sparky around with you as you go about your day-to-day life. It just...it works.”

Wanda was surprised at how...sad Vision looked. He cast his gaze out into the park, his eyes visibly weary as he spoke. She frowned, feeling his somber mood. Sparky rolled his head over to look at Vision, also sensing the mood, and licked his hand, snapping Vision out of his thoughts and he smiled at the gesture. 

“Well, if you need a dog fix, you can always hang out with Sparky,” Wanda offered, not as a means to get him to hang out with her more. More so as a means of cheering him up. “He seems to like you as well.”

“Yes, that does appear to be the case,” said Vision as he scratched his ears. 

They fell into silence once again, looking out into the park, neither feeling the need to speak. For Wanda, it felt nice to be near someone. Even if she was working in a busy area, her days were incredibly lonely. She wondered if Vision felt the same way. Beforehand, she wouldn’t have assume that, but after their conversation, she couldn’t help but wonder if he also felt lonely. 

Wanda wasn’t sure how much time passed before Vision moved beside her, quickly standing up.

“I don’t mean to take away your entire afternoon,” he said politely, looking at her with the general optimism that she had come to associate him with. “I’m sure you have things to work on, psychology books to read and the like.” 

Wanda checked her phone. It was only 3, but her friends would be over around 5 and she definitely left dirty laundry on the couch that morning.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, standing as well and gathering her things. “I’d rather be here than with my dissertation.” 

Vision looked genuinely touched by the comment, smiling shyly at her, his eyes shining once again. 

“So I take it your feelings about the session have improved,” he said.

“I think so,” Wanda said. “We’ll see how we’re feeling next time. Do Saturdays at 1 work for you?”

“I’m at the shelter next week, but I can do the morning. Is 9 too early?”

Wanda cringed a bit. She would have to be up at 7:30, but...she wanted to see him again. Actually see him. And talk to him. Not wave from across a sea of business execs. 

“Nope, I can make that work.”

They stood there, just looking at each other, neither knowing how exactly to say goodbye. Wanda ended up giving a small wave, saying a quick thanks, before heading in the direction toward her apartment. Sparky walked close to her, keeping up with her pace. Wondering how Vision took the whole thing, she tried to subtly look at him.

The sun behind him lit his hair, as it did that afternoon at the plaza, a bright halo surrounding him. A look passed across his face that Wanda couldn’t distinguish due to the glare. He looked at her warmly, that wasn’t unusual, but there was something deeper to it, causing her heartbeat to flutter. Before she could place exactly what it was, he met her eye and it passed. She waved at him, finding herself smiling broadly. He waved back and turned to walk in the other direction. 

As Wanda exited the park, she didn’t notice Vision turning over his shoulder once more, utterly captivated with the way the sun highlighted beautiful, deep red otherwise hidden in her brown hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This went a long longer than I was expecting! I'm finding a bit more clarity with this story, so hopefully I can crank out some consistent updates. Hope you all liked it! And thank you to everyone for their kind comments.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, in case it wasn't obvious, I had a rough time going to the animal shelter. But, I have my dog Athena now, so it ended up working out. 
> 
> Hoping to update this soon. I'm not sure how long it will be.


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